Dova Center - September 2020

Dova Center - September 2020

A One-Women Business

HEALTH With &

THE CHALLENGES AND POSITIVES OF THE GLOBAL PANDEMIC

HEALING

L et’s address the elephant in the room. COVID-19 has had a huge impact on everyone’s lives and is something that’s hard not to think, talk, or write about. It’s been the source of our anxiety and uncertainty for nearly seven months, and while I’m unsure how things will be by the time this newsletter comes out, it’s likely they’ll still be uncertain and stressful. Yet, despite facing challenging times during this pandemic, we keep pushing forward. I’ve had a few very difficult moments in this pandemic, but these challenges also had silver linings.

me. I knew I had to start setting realistic goals for myself, so I sat myself down and came up with clear aims to follow.

My biggest goal is to focus on my family and do whatever I can to support them during this time. While I might not be able to support my family financially right now, I do have strong coping skills for stress, so I’m busy working to ensure my family is as healthy and strong as ever. I’m creating a healthy structure for my 7-year-old and giving my husband a lot of my free time too so he is able to work. It’s been tricky, and I’m sure many of my patients have experienced this as well — balancing what the world is going through with our families and our own well-being. We can’t just shut down, turn off everything around us, and wait to see what happens; we have to stay in the moment and keep living our lives. One of the best decisions my family has made is focusing on spending time outside every single day, usually the first thing in the morning. There is so much research about the benefits of “forest bathing.” Over the summer, we spent several weekends on small camping trips in Colorado — to get away from everything for a while. I’ve always believed the best kind of camping trip is one with no Wi-Fi or phone service. It forces me to take a break from social media, news, and everything else. Our trips give us the opportunity to be out in nature, relax, and bond. I’ve watched and felt our family grow closer with every trip, and it’s truly an incredible experience. Something as simple as roasting a marshmallow with my family and giggling when it catches on fire makes for such a happy moment. I believe that everyone needs to set some time aside and take a break from everything. It’s good to detox from the news as much as we can to reset and collect ourselves. I think the best way to do that is by taking a local vacation and avoiding exposing ourselves to too much negativity. We don’t have to know every single thing that’s going on, just as we don’t have to take the whole world on our shoulders all at once. Step outside in nature, with your family or by yourself, and take 10 deep breaths. That’s a great way to start to your day. –Be well, Dr. Gina Terinoni 1

Back in March, my clinic was mandated to close, and our doors were shut for about nine weeks. The past several months have been like a terrible nightmare for me as a small- business owner, one I’d never imagined would come to light. I was forced to lay off my entire staff, which was one of the most difficult decisions I’ve ever had to make as a business owner. Not only was I suddenly struggling to support myself and my family, but I also had to take on all the responsibilities that came with my business. I spent a lot of time going through the process of closing to ensure the safety of everyone in my clinic. Also, I paused all of our memberships. It was important to me not to charge people when they weren’t receiving anything from us. Although we reopened in May, I didn’t want to “force” patients and clients to return until they felt comfortable. So, we only activated patient memberships once they returned. I’ve been working so much more than I did before, even with rehiring a few reliable people on my team. I’m working to ensure I follow the medical best practices, continuing to do constant medical research, and staying up to date with COVID-19 regulations by county, city, and state, so it’s been a little insane, to say the least. It’s hard not to feel overloaded by the steady and ever-changing stream of information and work. Over the summer, there came a point when I realized I couldn’t keep bleeding all my time to this because it was taking a toll on

SEPTEMBER 2020 DOVACENTER.COM 303.955.7226

“I’ve had a few very difficult moments in this pandemic, but these challenges also had silver linings.”

How Stress Can Lead to Injury

AND HOWYOU CAN STOP IT

W hile it’s pretty intuitive that physical stressors can cause physical injuries, you might not know that mental and emotional stress can also lead to musculoskeletal injuries that require physical therapy. That’s right — a lack of sleep, a busy workweek, and other stressful life events can make you more prone to injury. Why is this, and how can you prevent the stresses of everyday life from causing you bodily harm?

You can prevent injuries with all sorts of physical means, but if you fail to address your mental and emotional health, you’ll still be at a heightened risk. While you might not be able to prevent every stressful situation from ever happening, you can control how you react when one does occur.

A few simple things you can do to prevent mental stress are to get enough sleep, maintain a healthy diet, and drink plenty of water. If any of these basic stress inhibitors are absent from your daily routine, focus on incorporating them in to alleviate some of your stress. That said, practicing simple breathing exercises or another form of meditation can also be helpful, especially if you’re looking for a physical way to mentally unwind after a stressful day.

When you experience stress, your body does a few things that naturally put you at an increased risk of injury. First, stress causes your nerves to

function inefficiently. Second, stressful situations lead to higher levels of cortisol in the body, a hormone that inhibits muscle repair and immune system function. If you’re always dealing with stressful situations, then you’re constantly leaving your body open to physical injury.

While learning about how much stress hurts you can be even more stressful, you can find some peace knowing that with a few simple changes to your routine, you can prevent your stress from causing physical injury.

Be the Healthiest You Can Be WHAT POOR HEALTH MEANS IN THE FACE OF COVID-19

COVID-19 has rocked our world, but we can defend against it. If you contract COVID-19 or have already had it, traditional Chinese medicine is the answer to support your recovery. In general, Americans are stressed out and overworked. On top of that, we have horrible diets and often try to turn to fad diets and nutrition “trends” to improve our well-being, but these only contribute to unhealthiness. In the U.S., this lack of self-care, as well as worsening chronic conditions, are the reasons we are struggling to eliminate COVID-19. But there’s another problem arising as a result of COVID-19 that is causing disastrous health conditions: dampness, the improper metabolism of bodily fluids. Fluids that are not metabolized properly create more health issues, causing a snowball effect.

Inflammation is one response to dampness. Inflammation, simply put, cooks the fluids in the body, creating more dampness and phlegm. As this process starts to break down the system, bacteria coats itself in mucous, which leads to gut dysbiosis, internal mold, water retention, and further dampness. That’s the grim look of COVID-19 and why it affects some people more violently than others. That’s why the best defense against this virus is to take the time to absolutely focus on and improve all aspects of your health right now. In Chinese medicine, we view health issues through a holistic lens to diagnose you. We dive into genetics, traumas, diet, lifestyle, stressors, work-life balance, exercise, self-care, and more to get to the root of your health problems. But there are no quick, easy fixes — Chinese medicine is all about healing your body naturally over time and getting you on track to being the healthiest, cleanest version of yourself.

Call today to schedule your telehealth consultation to learn more about our path to freedom with a total overhaul of your health.

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Dr. Jen Kralowetz’s Passion Acupuncture in Chinese Medicine When Dr. Jen Kralowetz was growing up, she was surrounded by a health- conscious environment. Her mother was a nurse, so taking care of herself was an important part of Dr. Jen’s daily life, even from a young age. That interest that grew stronger and stronger the more she learned. Dr. Jen was interested in holistic medicine when she entered college at Boston University. She began studying anthropology, and that was when she took a class on acupuncture in Chinese medicine, which helped focus her interests into a single point. “I was moved by the idea of our bodies being subject to the laws of nature, as opposed to being this separate and unique system. Looking at healing in that different perspective was fascinating.”

Minty Carrot Top Pesto

Inspired by YupItsVegan.com

It wasn’t only education that encouraged Dr. Jen’s interest to grow. She’d been experiencing a few health problems herself, and it was only after she started receiving treatment through acupuncture that she began to feel relief. Dr. Jen remembers her first acupuncture treatment: “It’s such an old tradition — it’s been around for at least 3,000 years, so I knew there was something to it. I was very excited to try it out for myself.” She continues, “One of my favorite things about my acupuncture treatment was that it helped me pay attention to the sensations to my body in a different way. I noticed connections in my body I had never noticed before. An acupuncturist could put a needle in my foot and I’d feel relief in another part of my body. It was fascinating to learn how everything is connected in this way that’s a little different than we understand on the surface.” As she began pursuing this career, Dr. Jen realized that it gives people hope. “It was the biggest thing that struck me about Chinese medicine through my own experience and others,” she says. “So many people live with pain and chronic ailments, and Western medicine only helps manage it. But when people get acupuncture, there’s true relief there. Being someone who can provide that hope where people realize there’s a way out of this — it’s such an amazing gift to share with people.”

Pesto may sound like a fancy ingredient on restaurant menus, but you can make it at home in minutes! This vegan recipe is a great way to use spare carrots tops, and it tastes delicious as a pasta sauce (thinned with water) or a cracker spread.

Ingredients

• 1 large bunch carrot tops • 1 clove garlic, chopped

• 1/4 cup fresh mint • 4 chives, chopped

• 2 tbsp red wine vinegar • Salt and pepper to taste • 3 tbsp olive oil

Directions

1. To blanch the carrot tops, bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Meanwhile, prepare a large bowl of ice water. Remove the stems from the carrot tops and add the greens to the water. Boil for 3 minutes, then drain the water and dunk the tops in ice water. When they’re cool, wring out the extra liquid.

2. Use a food processor to blend the carrot tops and all other ingredients except olive

oil. Add 1 tbsp of olive oil at a time to the food processor and blend until the pesto is smooth. Taste and serve!

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Inside

A One-Women Business 1 How Mental Stress Causes Physical Injuries The Holistic Way to Fight COVID-19 2 Meet the Dova Center Team! Minty Carrot Top Pesto 3 3 Fun Family Activities for Fall 4

GARDENING, GOLD, AND PHOTO SHOOTS 3 FUN FAMILY ACTIVITIES FOR FALL

It’s fall, which means social media will soon be saturated with pictures of your friends enjoying “classic” fall activities. Photos of leaf peeping, apple picking, and the occasional scarecrow run rampant. But rather than following the herd, you can make your family the trendsetter of unique fall activities! Here are a few outdoor endeavors your family will love. GET GARDENING. Fall is the time for harvest, but if you want to enjoy flowers in the spring, it’s also a time for planting. The cooler autumn air is easier on plants, but the soil is still warm enough for roots to grow before the ground freezes for winter. Tulips, daffodils, and hyacinths are all spring bulbs that need to be planted in the fall. Do a little research with your family to determine the best time to start planting in your area. PAN FOR GOLD. Here’s one that’s really off the beaten path: Take your family on an adventure panning for gold! Start by planning a road trip out to an old

ghost town. Many of them have great tourist attractions that include gold panning. You probably won’t get rich, but it will still be a fun story. If you’re not able to make the trip, you can always create a gold panning operation at home! Visit MessForLess.net/panning-for-gold- activity for a great step-by-step guide on how to go panning for gold in your own backyard. PLAN A FALL PHOTO SHOOT. It’s time to freshen up those family pictures hanging around the house. The changing leaves provide a beautiful background for any family portrait. Better yet, the cooler temperatures mean that an outdoor photo shoot won’t be nearly as uncomfortable as it would be in the summer. You can take your pictures by the trees in the front yard or make a daytrip of it. What about pictures at the corn maze or pumpkin patch? It’s never too soon to start planning this year’s holiday card.

Spend this fall outdoors and create great new memories with your family!

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